Passing Shadow
by WittyFae
Summary: Jekyll and Hyde BOOKVERSE The wrong place at the wrong time, a chance encouter, an unknowing flower girl becomes part of a story that is larger than she knows. Now every meeting is a contest the game is to stay alive. COMPLETE
1. Default Chapter

**Passing Shadow**

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**_ A.N - This story is based on the Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson and is in no way affiliated with the Frankwildhorn musical. Some of the characters belong to me, others are the property of Robert Louis Stevenson_**

**Chapter 1 **

The fog swirled around the cobblestone streets as Lilly made her way home. It was late, much later than she usually stayed out, and the deserted street made her feel as if she were the last person on Earth. Her feet throbbed from having spent the whole day selling her flowers and she longed to put them up and perhaps even have a bath to forget the long hours she'd spent trying to sell her wares. She hadn't met with much success today; that was the reason she was out so late. People just couldn't be bothered by a flower girl trying to make a living. They walked right by, ignoring her song and her bright bouquets; their heads remained down against the wind, even when there was no wind to speak of. She didn't know why she had chosen that new street but she vowed to never go back. Her basket was full of unsold flowers, most of which would not survive into tomorrow morning; it was money out of her pocket wasted. She thought by staying out later she could have at least sold more flowers to the gentlemen on their way to the opera, but very few had stopped for her. So, with the night growing darker, she left their land and began the trek slowly back to her own, where it was not so bright and colorful and the fog creeped slowly around her ankles.

It seemed the fog got thicker with every breath she took, and she longed to reach home. Home for her was a small flat in one of London's poorer districts, on the third floor of a large brick building. She didn't care that it wasn't so big; it was enough for just her. It was a place to sleep and she was grateful to have it. She was well acquainted with the sight of people living in holes between crumbling walls. It was hard enough to have no place to call your own, but now the streets weren't safe anymore, even just to walk through. All over the papers more and more reports of murders had started to filter into the daily news. It had started simply enough, but now it was up to at least two a night; people turning up dead mere minutes after they were seen by friends. Just thinking about it made her uneasy and she quickened her pace. She suddenly wished she had thought things through before she had stayed out so late. Now, her mind swirled as quickly as the surrounding fog with the pictures she'd seen just that morning of people standing around looking solemn as a man was covered with a sheet. She'd be safe at home soon, she told herself firmly. She would fix herself some tea and forget about this long, wholly unsuccessful day.

As she turned the corner onto her street, she exhaled in relief. Though the street was very long, and she had some ways to go, she was in the homestretch; she had done it. But, just as she started to move forward, someone suddenly shot out of the dark and crashed into her. Lilly fell to the hard street, dropping her basket of flowers and strewing their contents on the ground. She landed on her funny bone and her elbow felt as though it had exploded. She gave a short scream of pain and immediately clutched at it, trying to rub and smother the shooting sensation spreading through her arm. She looked over at the flowers lying on the street; they were ruined. She cursed out loud.

A low chuckle followed her profanity. Lilly looked up and stiffened to see that the person who had knocked her down was still there, standing over her. It was a man; he was tall, though seemingly stooped over, and covered completely by a gentleman's cloak. His eyes peered at her and seemed to burn away the fog. At his side, was a formidable-looking cane with a heavy brass handle. Silently, Lilly prayed to every saint she'd ever heard of.

"Stupid girl." he said. His voice was low and raspy, as if he had nails in his throat. "Walking alone on the streets at this hour, you should be more careful." He swayed slightly as he spoke. Was he drunk, Lilly wondered? At that moment, Lilly wished that _she_ were. She looked up at him, but couldn't help her eyes from drifting back to that cane.

He followed her line of sight and tightened his grip on the handle as a sick smile spread over his face. With a swift motion, he lifted the cane over his head and swung it downwards right towards her face. Lilly screamed and closed her eyes bringing her arms up to shield her face and waited for the blow to land and possibly kill her. She waited and waited with her eyes closed, but still felt nothing. Timidly, she opened her eyes and saw the cane had stopped inches away from her face. Above her, the man was still holding it firmly in his grasp, his body looking like it had frozen just before he had made contact and still might should he continue what he had already set in motion. He was breathing heavily; the same sick smile twisted on his lips. Then, with unusual grace, he brought the cane back to his side and stood as though nothing had ever happened.

He reached his hand into the folds of his cloak as Lilly continued to watch him through half-closed eyes. When he withdrew it, he flicked his wrist and casually tossed a coin at her. It landed with a loud ping on the street and echoed off the walls of the nearby buildings. "Here's for your troubles." he said casually. With that, he walked past her and continued on his way down the street and disappeared into the fog, but not before picking up one of her scattered flowers and shoving it in his front coat pocket.

Lilly's heart was pounding, amazed that she was still alive. She picked up the coin he'd tossed at her and gasped. It was an entire pound! Her flowers sold at two-pence a piece and she would have to sell a lot of them to make this much money. She had suddenly made almost two days wages in two minutes. Tucking it in her dress pocket, she stood up slowly. The throbbing in her elbow had subsided and only ached slightly as she bent down to pick up her fallen basket. Whoever he had been, she knew she had been lucky to have survived the encounter. She wasn't exactly sure why she had for he could have very well killed her. But instead, he had given her money and even taken a flower. She was much too lucky; from now on, she would leave for home earlier. She had no desire to be caught walking alone on the street by someone who might not be so generous.

A scream pierced the air and Lilly froze. It had sounded far away, but the force of it still echoed on the empty street. It came from the direction the dark man had walked off in. Without thinking, she dropped the flowers she was holding and took off running as fast as she could down the street. She only stopped when she'd reached the stoop of her flat. Fumbling with the keys with trembling fingers, she finally unlocked the door and rushed inside, closing it behind her and bolting it immediately. She stood for a few moments breathing heavily with her head resting on the splintered wood. She swallowed heavily. It seemed someone else had not been so lucky.


	2. chapter 2

**Chapter 2 **

The next day Lilly stood in a well-lit and busy street corner with a new basket of flowers in her small hand. She had recovered better than she had expected from the previous night, but was taking no chances. This street was familiar and not altogether too far from her home. She felt safe among the crowds of people and kept a careful ear out for the chiming of the church bells lest she be caught on the street at some late hour again.

"Two-pence a bunch - lovely flowers!" She sang out to the gentlemen and ladies that passed her by. She had had better luck tonight than the previous night, but her basket was still fuller than she would've liked. It was also incredibly cold and people weren't as keen to stop on the street when they could go into a warm building. As she shivered on the corner watching people pass, she envied their scarves and muffs and she wished for a warmer coat.

This wasn't working, she thought to herself. Maybe if she tried a different corner she'd have more luck. Someplace near a café perhaps, where she could attract people on their way in to get something warm. It was worth a try.

She joined the stream of the passing crowd towards a different street and paused at the curb to let a passing carriage by. But, it wasn't just one carriage; it was a whole line of them making their way up the street - a funeral procession. Lilly gasped and quickly made the sign of the cross as she watched the somber parade pass by. Others next to her on the street were doing the same. As Lilly stood waiting on the curb for them to pass, she wondered who had died. It was obviously someone of importance to be surrounded by such a grand procession. She wondered with a slight twinge of discomfort if it had been the person last night whom she had heard screaming. To avoid thinking anymore about that, she glanced around at the people huddled around her also watching the funeral go slowly by. The men had taken off their hats in respect for the dead, but as she looked next to her on her left, she saw one person who hadn't removed his. As she looked more closely, her mouth went dry and her heart began to race.

Mere inches away from her stood the man she'd encountered the night before. There was no mistaking him. He was almost right next to her, watching the funeral with a look that seemed disturbingly like pride. Her first instinct was to run, but she couldn't help but stare at him. He had the same dark piercing eyes she'd seen the night before; it was what she had recognized first. His face was oddly striking, like that of a well-chiseled statue, only very much alive. Could she be looking, this very moment, at a murderer surveying his handiwork? The thought made her sick to her stomach and she knew she had to get away. It didn't seem as though he had seen her. Maybe, if she could slip away, he'd never know she'd been there. Lilly inched away, keeping her eyes forward so as not to attract any attention. She stopped in mid-step; something was holding her back. She looked down to see a gloved hand encircling her small wrist. Lilly gasped when she saw who the glove belonged to. Although he hadn't seemed to have moved at all, he had managed to catch her.

"Don't think I haven't noticed you." He said.

"Let me go. I'll scream, I swear." she whispered in fear.

He smiled cruelly and looked at her head on, "Then why are you whispering?"

Lilly looked into his eyes and couldn't utter a sound. She was frozen to the spot and unable to fight back.

"I didn't think so." he replied triumphantly.

The last of the carriages finally passed by; the crowd began crossing the street. Lilly felt him put something in her hand before releasing her; the next moment, she was swept away in the sea of moving bodies. Looking over her shoulder, she tried to keep her eyes on him for as long as possible; but, he soon disappeared. She stood staring back across the street - how could he have disappeared so quickly? She opened her palm and saw another one pound coin shining up at her.

"Move your arse baggage!" someone yelled at her. Startled, she tucked the coin in her pocket and moved out of the way of a rather irate gentleman and apologized softly.

Apart now from the crowd, she turned her gaze back across the street to where he had been standing. What were the chances she would find herself face to face with him again? Was he following her? The thought frightened her to the core. Should she go to the police and tell them she had seen the murderer? Would they believe her? But, what could she say? All she had was a description and not a very good one at that. Besides, she couldn't even be sure that he was the murderer; still, the look on his face as he had watched that funeral…it chilled her that he had been so close to her the whole time. Even more terrifying was the thought of what he might do to her if he found out she had gone to the police. He didn't seem to want to hurt her, but that could all change very quickly if she ran her mouth to Scotland Yard.

There she was in a busy street with hundreds of other people and yet she had never felt more alone; and less safe.

Later on that evening, she had had enough. She glanced behind her for the seventh time. Every time she looked back, she expected to see the strange gentleman following her. The night had grown brisk and the combination of fear and the biting cold was enough to send her running home, unsold flowers or no.

At least the night was clear and the moon was bright enough to light the dark streets, but she still didn't feel any safer. The memory of the encounter still burned fresh in her mind. To make matters worse, in her haste, she had taken a wrong turn and was only now starting on the right path home. As she doubled back towards the right street she thought she heard voices coming from up ahead. She slowed her pace as a crowd came into view; something was wrong. Their voices got louder as she came slowly closer and she began to hear snatches conversation like: _"Horrible!" "Who would do such a thing?" "...clubbed to death..." _and, _"...cold blooded murder..."_

The crime scene came more clearly into view and Lilly stopped dead in her tracks, covering her mouth as she gagged. There was a body lying on the pavement and amidst the crowd of people, she saw a trail of blood. Trail wasn't even the word for it; it was a river of blood. Lilly felt nauseous as she leaned against a building. She closed her eyes and inhaled the cool night air, desperately fighting the urge to be sick. She had never seen a dead body before, let alone one killed so gruesomely. The words "clubbed to death" rang in her ears and with it the image of a cane with a large brass handle. Was this his doing? Had he been on his way to commit this murder when she had run into him on the street?

Guilt suddenly began to fill her. If she had gone to the police earlier, they might have been able to do something. A man was dead and it was her fault. She looked down the street and saw that police were already assembled trying to calm the crowd and keep them back from the evidence. One was questioning people it seemed, asking if they'd seen anything suspicious. Lilly stepped away from the wall; her stomach began to churn at the thought of coming closer to the grisly scene, but she had to do something. She had to tell the police what she had seen earlier. It might be too late for this poor victim, but maybe not for someone else.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" she heard. Her eyes traveled to an alley next to her and peered through the darkness. A figure leaned against a wall just inside the alley looking at her. "It's you!" she said loudly. A hand clamped over her mouth and she was dragged into the dark passage. She struggled and kicked as hard as she could, but he was too powerful; it was useless, still she screamed behind the strength of the hand that covered her mouth.

He had her up against him so tightly she could barely breathe as the pressure of his arms crushed against her stomach and ribs. He lowered his head to her ear and whispered calmly. The warmth of his breath caused her to stop moving. "I'll let you go but you have to promise not to yell or run, promise?" He gave her neck a little jerk to show he was serious. Lilly nodded and he let go. Air returned to her lungs and she gasped rapidly. She shuffled to the other alley wall across from him, too frightened to run but wanting to keep as much distance as possible.

"Why are you following me?" she asked him finally.

"I believe I was here first. And, well, I guess your unschooled mind is too narrow to grasp the concept of coincidence." He began to move closer to her. There was no where to go; he had her cornered. "But now that I think about it, it wouldn't be so bad to run into you more often."

"Stay away. I mean it." she said angrily. In reality, her knees were trembling and threatened to give out beneath her. He just laughed. "Why? Am I that terrible to look at?" He brought his dark face down to hers, but she shut her eyes and refused to look at him. "Am I?" he asked more forcefully grabbing her face. His fingers dug into the bones of her cheeks and Lilly opened her eyes. "No, you're not! Let go of my face. You're hurting me!" She started to struggle under his body and managed to free her face, but his hand suddenly came down and slapped her square on the cheek. She stopped struggling, dazed and surprised. She had never been slapped before.

There was silence between them for a long moment, her eyes locked with his. She stared back at him intensely, refusing to be the one that looked away first. The hate in her stare was enormous.

Finally, he stepped slowly away from her, freeing her from under his weight. "Leave then. Go on, leave if you can." he said. Lilly took a few tentative steps away towards the alley entrance, then stopped in her tracks and looked back. What was wrong with her? Why didn't she just run?

He seemed to notice her hesitation, almost like he had expected it. "What's your name, girl?" he demanded.

"Why do you care?" She was surprised by her own tone and swallowed nervously. She had to tread carefully; he could still turn on her at any moment.

"It's called an introduction. I trust you've heard of that at least?"

She paused, thinking quickly and weighed the options; if it would get her out of this unscathed …

"Lilly." she replied simply. No need to tell him her last name. She waited tensely for his response.

"Lilly, a perfectly common name; it pains me to hear it. I am very sorry for you."

Lilly was at a loss for words. Part of her wanted to inquire what was so offensive about her name and the more rational part told her to keep her mouth shut, lest he change his mind about letting her go. So, she stood with fists clenched, the opening of the alley a mere couple of feet behind her. She didn't dare move, but he seemed to have become bored and was soon walking past her into the night. As he passed her, his scent drifted past her nose and lingered in the air. She turned and saw his dark silhouette against the opening of light that lead out in the street. He almost didn't look real. Unclasping his overcoat he shrugged it off then tossed it to her. She was caught off guard but managed to catch it, though just barely. She just looked at him with confusion written on her face.

"You're shivering." he said simply. He said nothing more, gave no more explanation that that. He just turned and started heading out of the alley.

"Wait!" Lilly called in spite of her better judgment. He stopped and turned.

"Who are you?" she asked boldly.

"Edward Hyde." he said with a note of pride in his voice. He gave a slight nod but didn't tarry any further. He made his exit quickly; though she ran out of the alley not long after him, she saw that, once again, he was nowhere to be seen.

She could still see the crowd a short distance away; more police had been called in to start investigating the area. She could still go and give them her report, and now she could even give them a name and what direction he had gone off in. Lilly looked down at the coat she clutched in her hands then back towards the police and the murder victim on the pavement. Slowly, she slipped the coat over her shoulders and started to walk in the opposite direction, towards home.


	3. chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A knocking at her door woke her up the next morning. Her head rose drowsily from her pillow and it took her a few moments to realize what was going on. Looking down at herself, she realized she had slept in her clothes and Edward Hyde's coat was still wrapped around her body. She swung her legs over the bed and shrugged off the heavy black coat, letting it fall to the floor beside her bed as she hurried to open the door.

A young man stood in the hallway with a knit cap and winter coat.

"Jareth? What are you doing here?" Jareth lived one floor beneath her; he was a nice man, and Lilly considered him a friend, but that didn't explain why he was knocking on her door this early in the morning. He sold newspapers on the street and by all rights that is where he should be at the moment.

"Look at this." he said urgently holding up a newspaper. The headline read, Double Murder Has Scotland Yard Baffled! Lilly took the paper from Jareth's hand and read it over quickly. The picture on the front page was that same crime she had seen the night before. According to the article, the victim had been a high ranking city official; a governor on the board at St. Jude's Hospital. The article stated that this was the second board member to be found slain, only two days after the first.

"They say the bloke's head was split right down the middle." said Jareth, with a somber tone to his voice. Lilly shuddered at his words. She remembered the sight of all the blood only too well.

"Poor chap, bloody shame." she said trying her best to cover up her uneasiness as she folded the newspaper and handed it back to him.

"Scotland Yard says it's a madman what done it. Of course, they don't know for sure, they don't have any clues or even witnesses."

"But, why are you showing me this, Jareth?" She was growing impatient. The last thing she wanted to do was discuss what she had seen last night. All she wanted was to retreat back to bed.

Jareth's face remained dark and he looked at her quite seriously. She had never seen his face set in such an expression of concern. "Lilly, I know you've been coming home late in the evenings; I can hear you come in as you pass by my door. I'm worried about you; all alone at night walking in the dark all the way from London Square? It isn't safe anymore. It never was safe to begin with and now with this madman on the loose, you've got to be crazy."

"I read the papers everyday and I've been watching this story from the beginning and every day it gets grander and more dangerous. He has Scotland Yard running scared and…" He trailed off and he looked at her quite hard.

It was clear that he was waiting for her to agree with him and promise to come home at a reasonable time and to admit how frightened and dreadful it all was. But, Lilly simply matched the intensity of his gaze and assured him that she was quite aware of the risks. Then, she excused herself stating that she had to prepare for work, and closed the door leaving him in the hallway.

As the door closed, she let some of her composure fall away; yet, she was still quite calm . . . calmer than she had any right to be. She could still see the crime scene in her mind, the crowd of panicked on-lookers, and the blood! There'd been so much blood! The picture in the paper didn't even begin to cover it. And, of course, there had been _him_.

She walked to the window of her tiny, one room flat and opened it, letting the cool morning air in. She looked out over the roof tops with their washing lines hung with white linens and in the distance, the factory pipes had already begun to release clouds of black smoke in neat, round puffs.

A brisk wind rustled against her form and she retrieved Hyde's coat and pulled it tightly around her. A scent rose up from the deep velvet fabric and caressed her nose like a gentle finger. A smell that soothing and pleasing should not be connected with such a man; yet, there it was. He was a murderer and one that apparently took great pride in the atrocities he committed. Why else would he have stayed so close by and risked being caught? But, he had seemed so composed and calm. Then again, Lilly had never known any madmen and had to assume that not all of them must be raving lunatics or else Scotland Yard would never have a problem spotting them.

No, he seemed to know exactly what he was doing, but she couldn't understand why she should be shown such favor with him. Ever since she had bumped into him on the street, he seemed to be everywhere. Every encounter seemed to be some sort of trial for which she was rewarded. Each meeting had a vague pattern. He would surprise her, then he would threaten her in some horrible way or insult her. If she managed to not run or scream or if she showed a bit of courage, he would become almost friendly and give her something - the coins, the cloak, even her own life.

He was like some strange John, the kind that would pay handsomely to have his sick fantasies and desires acted out for him. It was the only way she could think of to describe it, but it put her in a very dangerous position. She could let this game go on and enjoy the benefits of it, but did that make her any better than a common whore? What would happen if she decided to stop playing? The thought made her shiver as she thought of Jareth hawking newspapers with her body on the front page, covered in a sheet. He was too dangerous to resist and there didn't seem to be any way out.

The church bells struck the hour and Lilly closed the window with resolve. She would have to get to work soon or all the decent flowers would be gone. She readied herself for the day, trying to put her hair up using an old tarnished mirror. Her hands shook and it took several deep breaths to keep them steady enough to affix the pins. She just had to think that, no matter what, Scotland Yard was at this moment tracking him down and had been for quite some time. They must be getting close by now; they might even be closing in to make an arrest soon. If she could just hold out until then and pacify him, play his game and prove that she was too amusing and useful to kill, she would be alright. _But, what about all the others?_

She tried to push that from her mind quickly. Finishing her hair, she grabbed her basket and set out to the flower district, wearing her new coat.


	4. chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

On the streets later that day, Lilly's stomach began to growl. Even through all her fear and anxiety, she found herself desperately hungry and couldn't recall the last time she had eaten. She counted all the money she had made so far to see if she could at least afford something small to eat. Though it had been a better day and her earnings could have bought her something at a street cart, she hesitated to spend any of it just yet. If she could just hold out and ignore the pains in her stomach, she could sell a few more and be able to afford a decent supper.

With that as her motivation, she set off down the street towards a crowd in front of a pet shop. She had intended to try and hawk to them, but found herself distracted by three small puppies playing in the window. She watched as they jumped on each others backs and nipped at their ears. She smiled broadly; she had always wanted a dog, but there had never been enough to afford one. Even though they were allowed in her flat, she didn't know if she would ever be able to feed it for long. Still, she stared tenderly at the bouncing dogs and touched the glass. She felt the people passing by; bumping into her every so often. She suddenly felt something strange, as though someone had rubbed up against her; then, there was a familiar smell. She turned quickly and saw nothing out of the ordinary, until she looked in her basket. Inside was a folded piece of paper that looked like a note. Unfolding the note, she struggled to read it. It was written in a rather fancy style, but if she tried, she could put it all together.

**Lilly,**

**Hungry? Go to this address and we'll see if we can't do something about it.**

**Edward Hyde**

**P.S Are you enjoying my coat?**

Enclosed was an address, which appeared to be in the east end of town by the docks. Lilly was stunned and didn't know what to make of the note or the offer. Should she go? _Of course not!_ her mind told her. Edward Hyde aside, the docks were not a welcoming place and filled with unsavory characters. She was nearly ready to toss the note to the ground, but stopped herself. He had mentioned food and the thought of it was all that kept her from refusing outright.

She hadn't eaten properly in days and as it was, she would have to work the rest of the day to afford a sandwich and some tea for supper. Perhaps if she went and took advantage of the meal, she could save her money for some groceries to keep at her flat. Her mouth began to water at the prospect of some biscuits in her flat, or maybe even some cake, or fresh apples. Oh, it was a horrible predicament to be in; only now could she realize how truly smart and cruel he was. He had probably guessed that this would be her response and that he could lure her into some more of his game by using food to bait her.

She sighed and closed her eyes. She had no other choice. Taking her directions and with a final fond glance at the puppies, she started to make her way to London's east end.

She found herself outside a seedy-looking pub. She checked the directions quickly from the note in her basket. This was it alright, but why had he asked to meet her here in such a God forsaken place? She thought better than to think of an answer and quickly went inside.

It was not much better on the inside; it was dark and smoky and she just knew everywhere around her there were cutthroats and thieves, all of them eyeing her. She scanned the crowd looking for him, but he was nowhere in sight. She frowned; had this all been a trick?

Suddenly, she felt a cold hand on her neck. She shivered and turned around, ready to defend herself against one of the unsavory characters she'd seen, but found herself face to face with Edward Hyde.

"You came." he said, as though expecting it all along.

"Yes." she replied, still startled.

"I had almost given up and was about to leave. Shall we?" He said, offering his arm to her. Hesitating, she took it and allowed herself to be led to a small table in the back.

"What is it you want?" she asked sitting down.

"Supper." he said simply. Lilly blushed.

"Something to drink?" he asked.

"I suppose it's not really safe to order a glass of water here."

"You suppose correctly. I don't think you want to see the kitchens here."

"Then, why come here?" she asked noticing a spider disappearing off the lip of the table. She tensed; she did not like spiders.

"It's out of the way, dark, private." he said with a touch of something in his voice that she didn't like. She began to feel more uncomfortable, but her hands were tied. She could either face the madmen on the docks outside or face the one across from her.

He ordered for her and as she ate, she couldn't help but notice that all the while Edward looked at her with an almost animal-like acuteness. Was he studying her? He himself ate nothing.

After a few moments, the meal in front of her became all that mattered; let him stare if he wanted. She cleaned her plate, taking advantage of the rare novelty of hot food put in front of her. It was easy if she didn't think about where it had come from. When she was done and the plate cleared away, he looked satisfied and they left. For a short while, they walked in silence along the foggy docks. It was quiet, nothing but the lapping of the waves and distant horns from ships almost entirely out to sea. It seemed that everything had become still in Edward's presence, for fear of crossing him, not even a seagull could be seen or heard.

"Thank you. For supper, I mean." Lilly said, breaking the silence at last.

"It was nothing, but I did notice you had no dessert." She avoided his stare again, looking everywhere but him. "What is it about you?" She muttered under her breath. He stopped abruptly, "What?"

"Nothing." She said, not even realizing she had spoken the words out loud.

"No, you meant something. What was it?" His voice was getting deeper. She stopped walking as well and turned to him, trying to think of something to say. "I just meant that there was something about you that was sort of, sort of…" she stammered.

"What?" he said. He shoved his hand at her shoulder as she backed away, causing her to nearly trip over his own feet. His temper was flaring, "What am I?"

Words finally failed her and without warning, he grabbed her by the coat and slammed her against the wall of a building. The pain hit her like a shock and spread throughout her skull.

"Do you know what I am? Do you have the vaguest conception of what I am? I am fire, pure fire!" He had her by the throat, but even if she could scream, no one would hear her or care. The docks were a place where screams were fairly common.

Tears ran down her face as she tried to pry his hands off of her, she was having trouble breathing now. He was too strong and soon she began to feel lightheaded. Her hands dropped to her sides and her eyes lowered to the ground. She was beginning to see spots when she caught sight of the cane in his belt. She summoned the strength she had left and reached for the handle. In a moment, she managed to remove the cane and send it crashing into the side of his face.

He let go promptly and she fell to the pavement with a hard thud. Her vision began to return as air circulated back into her lungs. The thick moist air coated her throat and the salt stung her eyes. She looked and saw him where he had landed, also trembling and breathing heavily, clutching the side of his face. She buried her face in her hands and cried silently, listening as he slowly got to his feet and picked up his cane. Now, he would finish it.

Lilly heard the sound of hooves on cobblestones coming closer then stop suddenly close by. She then felt herself being picked up and put into a carriage. She lifted her face from her hands and saw Edward Hyde, half his face bleeding and his chest rising and falling as though he would fall over at any moment.

"It was a pleasure having your company." he said. With that, he closed the door and the carriage sped off.

Jareth had been climbing the steps into the brick building when the carriage came around the corner. It stopped in front of his building but the driver made no move to assist whoever was inside with any luggage or even open the door for them. It was queer, a carriage being in this part of London in the first place. Most folks who lived in that area could never afford a fancy carriage or else they wouldn't be living there. Perhaps they were lost and needed directions?

Being a friendly sort he went back down the steps and up to the carriage door.

"Are you lost?" he asked peering into the window. He gasped and opened the carriage door wide. "Lilly?" He couldn't quite believe it. Lilly sat in the plush carriage looking a mess. Her hat was missing and her hair askew. She had red marks on her throat and her face was stained with tears. "Good Lord." he said. He reached inside and lifted her small out onto the street.

"Take me upstairs." she said weakly.

"What happened to you?" he asked.

"Please, take me to my room." She said again.

"Alright." he agreed at last. He picked her up in his arms and turned to carry her up the steps. What about him?" he asked, motioning to the driver.

"He's already been paid."

She would say no more; the driver and carriage were already on their way.


	5. chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

As well meaning as he was, Jareth was just hot tempered enough to go out there looking for Edward Hyde. There was no doubt that Edward would make short work of him and all too easily. So, her night at the docks became a wrong turn taken and the wrong person talked to. Luckily, a policeman had been in the area and had called a carriage to take her home after he had questioned her.

Jareth seemed to accept the story, but he was even more adamant about her safety now. He insisted he accompany her home at night when she was well enough to go out and he would even accompany her to the flower district in the mornings, even if it meant he would have to delay his paper route by an hour. She felt trapped; she couldn't refuse his offer without giving some sort of reason why. To do that would be to tell him the truth and put them both in danger. So, she grudgingly agreed.

Jareth seemed satisfied with her answer. Lilly had said that a doctor wasn't necessary, so he took it upon himself to look after her as best he could. He promised he would come in the evenings after he had finished with his newspapers.

For two days, he brought her news from the outside. More murders, more board members from St. Jude's Hospital, and strangely vile things turning up in London's darkest alleys. She sat through it all, trying not to let her horror show through, but it was difficult; especially when he showed her the photographs.

One night, she claimed that she was very tired and had a headache, so he left her to rest. When he had finally gone, she lay in bed listening, as she had for the past two nights, to every sound and jumping when one seemed to be a bit too loud for her taste. Without Jareth's constant prattling to distract her, Edward Hyde's words ran over and over again in her mind. _I'm fire, pure fire_. It seemed like a confession, but it wasn't just fire. It was as though he was pure evil. It had to end, all of it, she had known it that night at the docks, but she didn't know how. He seemed to know where she was all the time. What if he found out where she lived? What if he knew already?

She looked quickly at the window, half expecting to see his faced pressed against the glass looking at her. But there was only darkness.

Lilly settled back against her mattress once more, but by no means relieved. She couldn't go on like this and she couldn't stay hiding forever. She had to work; she needed to survive. She pictured herself all day making her rounds and looking around her constantly like a scared rabbit.

As she lay looking up at her ceiling, her eyelids became heavy and sleep seemed to be coming despite all that had transpired. Before letting herself succumb to it, she decided that tomorrow she would try and go out with Jareth as her escort. She didn't like the idea of being followed, even if it was for her protection, but the alternative was far worse.

When she finally did drift off, it was not a peaceful rest. All through the night, the image of Edward Hyde and his half-mangled face followed her, stalking her even in sleep.

A rapping woke her from her fitful sleep. She lay there for a moment, eyes open, thinking she might have dreamt it, when again there came the sound of someone throwing things at her window.

It was still night. Half asleep, she wrapped a blanket around herself, padded on cold feet to the window, and peered down into the darkness. She could barely make out a figure, dressed in black, arm cocked back as if to making to throw something else.

She opened the shutter and let the cold night air sweep in. The late night sounds of London floated up to her as she stuck her head out the window.

"Who's there?" she said in a loud whisper.

The figure let his arm fall to his side and raised his head to look at her. In the darkness, Lilly could tell that most of his face was covered. A sinking feeling began to form in the pit of her stomach - what had she done opening the window and looking out? She began to panic, "Who's there, what do you want?" she asked quickly. _She had to find a way to get out of there._

"How much?" came a voice from below.

Lilly paused. A sense of relief washed over, as she heard that the voice did not belong to Edward Hyde. She stuck her head further out and squinted at the figure in black below her on the street.

"What did you say?"

"How much?" he said again. It was most definitely not Hyde, the voice was much too soft and warm; but it was tired too, Lilly noticed. His words confused her. _How much for what? _ Was he lost? What kind of house did he think this was?

"What are you talking about? How much for what? What kind of place do you think this is?" she hissed loudly. She didn't want to raise her voice too loudly and chance waking someone. How would this scene look?

"For your flowers" the man replied.

"Oh…" said Lilly, blushing with embarrassment. She whispered down, "Hang on, what do you want with flowers at this late hour and how do you know that I even sell them?"

"Please, just let me buy some from you." His voice cracked slightly, sounding ill, and looked like he would collapse at any moment. He swayed backwards and looked as though he might fall headfirst down the stone steps.

"Hold on a moment. I'll be right down!" she called. She closed the window and rushed to put on the long black coat and some shoes. That poor man was probably ill with fever; he should be taken to a hospital.

She made it downstairs and opened the door. The man stood there, frail and coughing in the heavy air. She rushed to him and tried to support his weight on her small shoulders. He sank to the ground and leaned against the stone stoop of the building.

"Sir, you're sick have to be taken to a hospital." she said frantically. He tried to brush her off, but he was too weak. "I just wanted to buy some flowers from you." She tried to ignore his strange request and felt his forehead for fever. He was ice cold, yet his body seemed soaked with sweat.

"Please sir, let me help you inside." She made to lift him, but he was too heavy. He removed his hat and before he could stop her, removed the scarf which had hidden his face from sight. He was young, a man in his early thirties, blonde and blue eyed, face flushed as he panted on the stoop. He was very handsome. She couldn't help but stare at his features and wonder what on earth he was doing there. Most likely, he was delusional; perhaps it was merely a coincidence that he had asked her for flowers. He was sick. But then, why had he chosen her exact window?

"Sir, please tell me how I can help you? What's your name? Is there someone I should call for? A wife? Anything?"

"No, don't. It's too late." He leaned his head back and continued his labored breathing. She held him awkwardly in her arms, his weight pressed heavily against her and soon her muscles were crying out from strain; but still, she held on.

"I'm so sorry." he said, looking up at her. His eyes held such sadness.

"It's no trouble, sir. I just wish you would tell me how to help you."

"Let me make things right. How much for flowers?"

"They're two-pence a bunch." she said, close to tears herself. "But, I haven't got any on me."

"That's far too little, here." he said, reaching to his belt. "Take this, take all of this."

"But, sir, I can't take this."

"Please, take it. It would mean so much to me if you would just accept it." He was growing agitated.

Reluctantly, Lilly took the purse and put it in the coat pocket. As she tucked it away, her hand brushed against something hard and dry. She pulled out a faded flower, half dead, most of the color already gone. She held it up to his face and silently offered it in return for the money. He clasped the dead flower in his hand and closed his eyes; a look of peace spread over his face and he sighed with relief.

"Thank you." he said in a ragged whisper. "Now you can be free."

His peace did not last long. Suddenly, he sat straight up in her arms. She felt his heart pounding beneath his shirt and his muscles tensed and relaxed against her. He seemed to be choking; she tried hitting him on the back to loosen whatever was making him cough, but he stood up. He looked terrible; his handsome face was contorted in pain and sweat ran down his forehead. He yanked violently at his shirt collar and exposed his bare chest to the cold air.

Frightened Lilly backed towards the door. He tore at his hair and strangled screams started to come from within him, low and guttural. He looked at her. His face was no longer the handsome young man she had just seen; veins stood out across his forehead and blood trickled from his temples where he had dug into the flesh with his fingernails. His teeth seemed longer somehow and his hair was darker. Across his left cheek, bluish patches like bruises began to spring up as if from no where. What was happening?

"Go inside." he said in a voice that seemed to be his and not his at the same time.

She stood up, her back pressed against the door, hands fumbling for the latch, too afraid to take her eyes off the sight.

"I can't hold him off, go inside now!" he shouted. He doubled over again and clutched at his stomach.

A light came on in the window next to the door, the landlord. "Who's out there? What's going on?"

"GO!" the young man yelled again. He took off running into the night, his body still spasming in pain, his shouts echoing off the buildings. More lights came on in other houses and windows began to open with people looking out to see what had woken them up at such an ungodly hour.

Lilly turned and bolted inside before anyone could see her. She raced upstairs to her bedroom and locked it behind her. She flung off the heavy coat and opened her own window and looked out. She looked for as far as she could, but there was no sign of the young man any longer. He had vanished.


	6. chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning Lilly accepted Jareth's protection without much of a fight. She didn't have the strength to refuse. He showed up at her door, cheerful and full of energy.

As they walked, he prattled on and on about how he was woken up last night by some strange noises, but she pacified him with a nod or a muttered, "oh." He didn't seem to notice. Soon, he was talking about how he and his brother might be starting up a newsstand of their own and how much money they could make.

"I think it's time to start settling down, you know? Getting a business together and with enough money, I'm sure I'll have enough saved up for a proper house in a year or two." he said searchingly.

"That would be fine." she said absent-mindedly. They had arrived in town and she excused herself and joined the other girls waiting in line to get fresh flowers. He called after her, saying he would meet her here in the evening to escort her home. She barely acknowledged him.

The day passed by in a fog. Flowers were sold, money exchanged – all of it done so mechanically. Lilly's thoughts lay elsewhere. The young man's face – he hadn't even looked human. So hideous, yet for a moment it had seemed almost natural, even familiar. She said a prayer for him, wherever he was.

Lilly stopped, for a while, in the early evening and had a hot cup of tea from a street vendor. As she sipped from the cup, she browsed through a rack of newspapers that had just come out with the evening editions.

Suddenly, her hand recoiled from one of them, as if it had burned her. She squinted hard at the print, trying to make sense of it. There, on the cover, was the handsome young man. She bought the paper straight out and began to read the article.

Promising Young Doctor Takes Own Life at Wedding: Guests and Bride Watch in Horror.

Lilly read on. The article outlined how Dr. Henry Jekyll, a promising young man in the field of medicine, committed suicide in front of friends and family at his wedding, only just that morning. Friends of the doctor say that his health had been declining over several weeks. Some colleagues confess that it may have been due to strange experiments that the doctor may have been performing on himself to test the boundaries of human consciousness. One colleague reported that the doctor's obsession was nothing short of "fanatical" and that he was convinced, that through certain drugs, the mind could be divided into two parts, one evil and one good.

Other members of the household, who wished to remain anonymous, said that his decline in health coincided with the taking on of a new assistant, one Edward Hyde.

_I can't hold him off, go inside now!_

Officials had been unable to find any trace of Mr. Hyde, but the search was on to bring him in for questioning on his part in the affair.

Doctor Jekyll died in the arms of his widowed bride, Emma Carew, who refused to be consoled.

Lilly lowered the paper and stared blankly ahead of her, the world was out of focus.

_I can't hold him off, go inside now!_

_I can't hold him off_

_Hold him off…_

_Who are you?_

_Edward Hyde._

_I'm fire pure fire!_

_Divided into two parts_

_One Evil, One Good. _

Words and voices swirled in her mind as all the pieces seemed to fall from the sky and land to form a perfect picture. She traced a gentle hand over the picture of young Henry Jekyll, most likely taken while still at school. He looked so hopeful. A tear landed on the black and white picture. She wiped it away, before the ink ran.

Last night had been an apology. A chance to make amends the only way he knew how.

For the first time since he had given it to her, she thought of the purse. She pulled it out now and held it in her hand. She hadn't opened it, but she did so now and looked inside.

There must have been hundreds in there! Not only coins, but bills, lots of them, all tucked and rolled away together. She stood for a moment, gaping and dipping her hand in and out of the soft velvet purse, feeling the weight of the money against her skin. As she did, other words came back to her:

_Now, you can be free._

Had this been what he meant? An end to the daily toil, free from living hand to mouth?

She paused, looking at the young hopeful face. It went deeper.

_Now, you can be free_

"No," she said aloud softly, "Now, we're both free." It was true. They were both free of Edward Hyde; he could do no more damage to anyone. He would never hurt another soul again. The game was over, but there was no winner, only a survivor.

She tucked the money away. It was growing late and it was almost time to meet Jareth. Jareth, with his simple ways and sweet nature - Jareth, who hoped to make a living at his news shop…and maybe even marry her. She walked on for a bit, her mind tumbling over and over.

Eventually, she found herself in front of the same pet shop she had been at a week ago. She saw the same puppies in the window, now sleeping and curled up next to each other. As she watched, one looked up with sleepy eyes and noticed her. It poked its head out of the warm blanket of sleeping brothers and sisters and pressed its nose against the glass. After a few moments, it stood up, its small paws waving at her as the little thing struggled to keep its balance. A smile spread across her face.

She turned and walked into the shop door. A bell jingled and a clerk came out from a back room.

"May I help you?" he asked warily, looking at her worn clothing and basket of flowers.

"Yes," she said, with head held high. "I'd like that one." She said pointing to the puppy who was now sitting and watching her with its head cocked to one side.

She reached into her pockets and produced a sum of money from the purse. The clerk's demeanor changed instantly and he hurried about preparing for the dog to come home with its new mistress.

As Lilly held the dog in her arms, she hugged it close, feeling its warm fur and its tiny heartbeat. She wouldn't be quite so alone now. The dog looked up at her and seemed to smile before settling down in her arms and began to doze contently. Now, there was only one thing left to take care of.

Jareth was beside himself. He had been waiting for almost an hour and still Lilly had not come. He was scanning the crowd every few seconds, but she was still nowhere in sight. He feared something had happened to her. Perhaps she had forgotten about meeting him? Perhaps she was at home?

He dashed in the direction of the brick flat and arrived out of breath and panting. He paused only to unlock the door, then ran swiftly up the stairs to her room and knocked. When there was no answer, he knocked again, this time more urgently. He called her name, but got no response. Fear overtook his sense of reason and he used his shoulder to force the door open. It wasn't hard; the doors were not made of strong wood and most of them had rusted through.

He looked around her room and found it empty. No clothes in the closet, no trinkets on the dressing table. Only the bed sheets remained. He ran a hand through his hair, confused by what he saw. Lilly was not there, and it looked as though she had left in a hurry. But why? There were no signs of struggle, and the door he had just broken was the only sign of forced entry. But it made no sense, why would Lilly just pick up and leave like that without a word? He couldn't understand it.

He closed the damaged door on the room and wandered, still puzzled, to his own room. He opened the door and found an envelope had been slid under it with his name written across the front. He tore it open as soon as he had closed the door behind him and sat on his worn red armchair, to read her final goodbye.

_**Dear Jareth,**_

_I am sure you're wondering where I am. If I know you, you've probably broken down my door by now to see if I'm alright. I never meant to worry you and for that I am sorry. It is hard for me to say just why I must go, only that I must. I don't expect you to understand; I only ask that you please forgive me. You have been a kind and true friend, but my urgency was great. _

_Things have changed, around me and inside of me, and I can no longer go back to what I once knew. I have seen all that is good and evil within this world . . . and myself as well. _

_You may take heart in knowing that I am alright and I do this of my own free will and choice. I am not alone and have a new friend to keep me company. I don't know where I am bound to yet. I'm not even sure if that is important. _

_There is little I can do to make up for the pain I have no doubt caused you. I know you always had my best interests at heart and I will always think fondly of you. In appreciation, I enclose within this envelope a sum of money I hope will help you and your brother in starting a newsstand. When next I hear of you, I expect to hear of a wealthy businessman with a large stomach and a well-fed family. _

_My Fondest Wishes and prayers go with you,_

_Love Always,_

_Lilly and Henry_

The End


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